1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus which outputs an image, a control method therefor, a control program, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been proposed a technique which restricts copying of a printed matter, so as to ensure the security of the printed matter (see e.g. Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-228897). More specifically, as copy restriction information for inhibiting copying of a printed matter, a password or the like is embedded in the printed matter in the form of a dot pattern or a bar cord, by way of example. The inhibition of copying the printed matter is canceled by authentication using the password.
For example, when a plurality of printed matters have the same copy restriction information embedded therein, the above-described technique is capable of uniformly restricting copying of the printed matters.
However, for example, when a printed matter A that has copy restriction information embedded therein and a printed matter B that has no copy in a mixed state for copying, a copy that has the copy restriction information of the printed matter A embedded therein is obtained as a copy of the printed matter A. In contrast, a copy that has no copy restriction information embedded therein is obtained as a copy of the printed matter B.
Thus, when documents including the copy of the printed matter A and the copy of the printed matter B in a state mixed therein are to be distributed e.g. as a document group placed under the same control, it is impossible to uniformly restrict coping of all the distributed documents.